History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 97

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin > Part 97

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Fourth Cavalry-Co. H-Louis Horne.

Fifth United States Cavalry .- Spencer Vail.

Fourth Iowa Cavalry-Co. G-Marcellus Brock.

Fifth Iowa Cavalry-Co. E-Lieut. Andrew Guler, Frank Gilliham.

Seventh Iowa Cavalry .- Co. E-Ira Patterson.

Eighth Iowa Cavalry .- Co. G-William Mitchell.

Fourth Missouri Cavalry .- Co. M-Abner H Larrabee. Co. F-David Beard, Wilson Lowrey.

Second Konsas Cavalry .- Co. E-Marion M. Harper.

First Kansas Regiment .- Co. B-John Fairall.

Twelfth Illinois Infontry-Co. F-Silas Lane.

Fourteenth Illinois Regiment .- Co. I .- Charles Palmer

Ninetieth Illinois Regiment .- Co. B-Michael F. Donahoe, John Byrne.

One-Hundredth Illinois Infantry .- Co. G-Sergt. Benj. F. Gridley.

One-Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry .- Co. E-William A. Butler.

Third Iowa Infantry .- Co. C-Robert Beard, William A. Armstrong.

Fortieth Ohio Regiment .- Co. F-William Miller.

First Heavy Artillery .- Co. A-Richard Calvert. Co. C-Cornelius Johnson.

Twenty-first Artillery .- David W. Garvin.

Fourth Artillery .- Co. F-Addison Medley.

Dubuque City Battery-Theodore Jackson.

Navy-Joseph Bond (company and regiment not given), Peter Saxson, Charles Taylor, Charles Pitsley.

The following names were added previous to the dedication : William P. Shipley, Co. C, Twentieth Regiment ; Eyman W. Sheldon, Co. C, Sixth Regiment ; A. J. Watts, Co. K, Twelfth Regiment ; Anthony Hill, Co. B, Forty- second Regiment ; Henry Schmidt, Co. H, Forty-ninth Regiment.

CHAPTER VIII.

LANCASTER.

GEOGRAPHICAL-FIRST SETTLERS-THE COUNTY SEAT-EARLY BUILDINGS-FIRST COURT-THE FIRST POSTMASTER-FIRST FIRE-THE VILLAGE GROWS-THE WAR PERIOD-TOWN AND VIL- LAGE GOVERNMENT-OFFICIAL ROSTER-LANCASTER PRESS-SCHOOLS-RELIGIOUS-CEMETERY -MASONIC ORDERS -- I. O. O. F .- FIRE COMPANY-BUSINESS INTEREST-STORMS.

GEOGRAPHICAL.

Within the confines of Lancaster are embraced Townships 4 and 5 north, of Range 3 west of the Fourth Principal Meridian. It is bounded on the north by the west half of Fennimore town, which, with Lancaster, forms the only double town in the county; on the east by Liberty and Ellenboro; on the south by Potosi, and on the west by Beetown and Little Grant. It includes within its borders some of the best farming land in the county, the wealth of the town being rather on the surface than beneath, as has been the case in many other towns.

The site of the present city of Lancaster was originally, before the advent of the white man, a beautifully-rounded knoll, covered with low brush at intervals, through which forest trees, singly or in groves, spread their sheltering branches. At the foot of this knoll bubbled forth a limpid spring, clear as the purest crystal, into whose sandy depths, in all probability, many a dusky face had looked, and upon its glittering surface had reflected back the swarthy countenance, hideous with war paint, or stained with the dust and heat of the chase. Past this spring poured a brawling brook, fed by this and lesser neighboring fountains.

Here, quietly sleeping away the summer day, it witnessed, in the year of our Lord 1828, the commencement of a new era in its life, as the white man settled upon the banks near its golden bed and began the erection of a habitation.

FIRST SETTLERS.

These new-comers were Nahem Dudley, Tom Segar and Ben Stout, who, in thus locating, became unconsciously the first settlers of Lancaster. There is no evidence to show that Segar and Stout remained longer than to assist their comrade in the erection of his cabin, or perhaps a short time thereafter, and then departed for other sections where "mineral," then the "par- ticular vanity " of early settlers, was to be discovered in better quantity than there were any signs of its being found here. Dudley remained a year or two and sold out to Aaron Boice. He then went to mining in different sections, finally settling near Beetown, where he gave his name to a cave, supposably discovered by him, and thence to the " Dudley Cave Range," a range well known to miners. Dudley died in 1845 at Muscalunge. In this same year, namely, 1828, William L. Morrison moved into the township and located on what afterward became the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 36, where he resided for many years. Henry C. Bushnell and family also came to the hollow now known by his name and located near the upper spring on the site occupied by Mr. Weaver. Here he erected a modest cabin of rough, unhewn logs, chinked and mud plastered, a portion of which remained until a late date. During the Black Hawk troubles, these settlers took refuge in the block-houses at Cassville and Prairie du Chien, but upon the settlement of the difficulty and defeat of Black Hawk, they returned to their deserted homes, and again took up their work of reducing the wilderness to subjection, and placing it under the dominion of man.

Aaron Boice, who gave his name to the fertile prairie stretching away to the southward from T

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

engaged in working a farm near Cassville. Although classed as a farmer, his domain would hardly be envied by the masters of the soil of the present day. At that time, the richness of Grant County soil still remained an unknown quantity, and Boice was well contented with a few acres. A portion of his "farm " occupied the spot afterward chosen as a site for a court house, and there are those yet living who have seen the different crops, corn, wheat, and even the pun- gent onion, growing luxuriantly on the very spot where justice is now dispensed and litigants wrangle.

In November, 1834, Boice entered his "claim," which, in surveyor's parlance, was the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 3, Town 4 north, of Range 3 west of the Fourth Principal Meridian. In August, 1836, Maj. G. M. Price entered the west half of the south- east quarter of the same section, which, together, formed the site of the village of Lancaster later cn.

In the meantime the country about this central point had been slowly receiving new acqui- sitions until at the opening of 1836 there were, besides those already mentioned, Henry Hodges and Thomas Shanley, who had come to the country at an early date, finally settling about three miles southwest of what afterward became the village, in 1831. Here Shanley erected a large double cabin, which served for many years as a shelter and place of refuge for many a new emi- grant, until he could erect a habitation for the family that accompanied him. No two names are better known in the early history of this section than the two given above. They came origi- nally from Missouri and left their mark upon the early institutions of the county. Mr. Shanley also served as a Representative in the three sessions of the first Territorial Legislature for the western portion of Iowa County, in which the present territory of Grant was then included. In the Hurricane neighborhood were Joseph, Martin, and Harvey Bonham, who came in 1834. Lawson and Ruvel Morrell had also settled in this section early in the thirties. North of Boice's Henry Wood had located; while on what is now familiarly known as "Boice Prairie," a num- ber of settlers had already made their appearance, including Edmund and Elijah Harelson, who came in 1832 or 1833; Colter Salmon and James Boice, a Mr. Warfield, and Mr. Joseph Mc- Kinney, who came in the spring of 1835. West of the present city, between Lancaster and Little Grant, James Bonham had located. Dr. A. M. Morrow had also, in 1835, entered a quarter-section of land southwest of town. This is the site now known as the " Rhodes place." In the same year, Abram Miller had located on Pigeon Creek, where he erected the second mill in the county, and Edward Coombs located a homestead in the Hurricane.

In the above category is comprised, in all probability, the names of all the settlers at that time in what afterward became Lancaster.

THE COUNTY SEAT.

At the first session of the Territorial Legislature-as has been noted elsewhere-the pres- ent county of Grant was formed, and Commissioners appointed to locate the county seat.

Anticipatory to such action on the part of the Legislature, Maj. Price had purchased from Aaron Boice the land entered by him, and commenced preparations for laying out a town. In opposition to this move on the part of Maj. Price, Edmund Harelson and Maj. J. H. Roun- tree, who had entered a goodly amount of land in the south of the township, platted and laid out a town just north of the town line, and near the present stone schoolhouse, rather east of · that building, and near a large spring, which has since disappeared. The town was named, several lots were sold, so promising did the prospects appear, but they were taken back after- ward and the money refunded. Finding this would not do, another attempt was made to have the county seat located on the claim entered by Thomas Elliott, who had settled east of the present city, in 1836 (his name was omitted in the list of settlers). This was claimed as the geographical center of the county. Long and earnest the battle of towns raged, until finally Maj. Price carried the day and the present site was chosen, to the disgust of disappointed aspi- rants. Surveyors were set at work, the village platted, and the plat recorded in May, 1837. In this plat, recorded in the old volume of deeds, the present public square is laid out, with the following acknowledgment :

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

1, Orris McCartney, Justice of the Peace, of Grant County, do hereby certify that G. M. Price has acknowledged the above plat, and all the publick ground set forth in the above plat, shall and still remain as such, and I want the same recorded as such.

This May 1st, 1837.

ORRIS MCCARTNEY, Justice of the Peace, Lancaster, W. T.

The only building at that time in the newly baptized seat of justice was the cabin of Aaron Boice. He soon after left for Texas, where, it was rumored, he met his death at the hands of the Indians in that section. The name Lancaster was chosen for the new town by a relative of Maj. Price, who had emigrated from Lancaster, Penn., and wishing to retain a re- membrance of the Eastern land far away, induced his relative to adopt this name.

EARLY BUILDINGS.

Immediately after the selection of this as the county seat, work was commenced upon the court house, which was finished the succeeding year A log store was erected during the year- 1837-and occupied by Mr. Ira Brunson, with a stock of goods such as is usually kept in a frontier establishment. A log building with a frame annex was put up by Maj. Price about eight rods northwest of the " big spring," and into this he moved a stock of goods similar to that included in the store owned by Mr. Brunson, and put the same in charge of George Cox and John S. Fletcher. As mortals must eat to live, Mr. Richards had opened a boarding house yclept in the all-covering language of the day " Tavern ;" and here the hungry gathered for a time until boarders and landlord fell out, and an opposition house was started by the former. A lachrymose Frenchman by the name of James Jetty, was engaged to do the cooking, his kitchen being located under the lee of a log lying where the Phelps House now stands, the dining-room being a frame building lately erected by George Cox, and afterward used as a court house. Under this regime they remained for some time, the greatest objection being that Jetty would occasionally " weep into the soup-kettle." The spell was broken by the arrival of Capt. Robert Reed and his wife, who took the Boice cabin, vacated by Richards, and in the language of a later writer "initiated the emigrants into the mysteries of pudding and blackberry pies." Reed was a character in his way, " Old Human Nature " was the sobriquet bestowed on him by his intimates and accepted by the subject of it. He was social and hospitable, with a true English face, brown and ruddy, with ample room for a large mouth, which made sad rav- ages over the moon-like countenance. He was afterward made Sheriff, and then moved to Clay- ton County, Iowa, where he died some years ago.

Among, other new-comers this year, were J. Allen Barber and Richard Ranes and wife, who afterward became Mrs. Berks. The latter couple occupied a log dwelling where Nathan's store now stands.

FIRST COURT.

In the fall of this year the first term of court ever held in Lancaster was held in the frame structure erected by George H. Cox, and which stood nearly on the site now occupied by the bank building. Here Judge Dunn dispensed justice and gave the law to the assembled multi- tudes.

Early in the spring of 1838, Harvey Pepper and wife moved into the village from the Pig- eon, and in the fall put up an addition to the frame structure used the year before for a court house and opened a boarding house. This, for the time being was the Palais Royal of Lancaster. Dr. Hill, who had married a daughter of Capt. Reed, moved from Beetown to Lancaster and built a small frame house on the corner, where Jetty had wept and served the delicacies of the season, beside the now historical log. Among other arrivals this year were Nelson Dewey, who arrived from Cassville in the spring, and T. M. Barber.

The other buildings erected during 1838 were a two-story frame on the southwest corner of Maple and Monroe streets, the site being now occupied by the store of W. P. Green ; a two-story log house was also built opposite the present Mansion House stables, and in this build- ing was held the examination of the murderers of "Jim Crow " that year. Mention of this murder is made in its nunnan nlaan and it in a nur in wild how that the aromat nousand

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

quite a furor in the little town, which was filled with people from the surrounding country. So dense was the crowd in attendance that Squire Dewey, before whom the examination took place, thought best to move down stairs, as a precautionary measure. Justice Bonham was associated with Justice Dewey, and the building was guarded with armed men under command of Ira Brunson.

The following year, 1839, was marked by no incidents of note ; but few new arrivals were noticed. John P. Tower, or " Dick " Tower, as he was then known, came and erected a build- ing on the northeast corner of Maple and Monroe streets, on the site now occupied by the resi- dence of Gen. J. B. Callis. This building was opened as an inn, Mr. Scott being the first landlord. Ellison McGee also put up a small log house, where the frame dwelling occupied by Mrs. Reed now stands. Upon their retirement from the excitements of hotel life, Capt. Reed and wife had taken up their residence with Dr. Hill. One morning, as the family were break- fasting, a bolt of lightning struck the house at one end, and passing down through the room, where they were sitting, demolished the clock standing on the mantle-piece, throwing the glass in every direction, cutting the inmates, but doing no other damage. Capt. Reed was, at the time of the shock, holding ont his cup for more coffee, when the concussion of the air took both cup and coffee-pot from the hands of the holders, and swept them out through the open door, landing them in the garden, in a bed of peas. The Captain, not to be discomfited in such a manner, secured the coffee-pot, and had the satisfaction of enjoying a second cup of the brown nectar. This was the first accident that happened to the inhabitants of the little town.

In 1840, Harvey Pepper erected a brick building, in which he kept a hotel. Daniel Ban -. fill was the builder, he having returned to Lancaster early in the year from the East. Daniel McAuley also had a log house in which he resided, and which stood on the spot now occupied by Webher's shoe store. Among the new arrivals were Martin Teal and Samuel Tompkins. Price's store had been discontinued, owing to a lack of customers, and the stock owned by Ira Brunson was sold to Harvey Pepper, who thus combined the trades of landlord and store- keeper. To this he added that of Sheriff, having been elected some time previously.

THE FIRST POSTMASTER

of the new town had been George H. Cox, who was appointed in 1838. The office was handed over to John S. Fletcher the following year, who held the office until some time during 1840. He carried the mail in his hat, the post office being the point where John Fletcher happened for the moment to be resting. This moveable office might have proved somewhat of an inconven- ience to the citizens, had it not been for Fletcher's well-known indolence, which prevented him from moving oftener than circumstances 'actually compelled him. As for making any returns to the authorities at Washington, that was not to be thought of for a moment. The manual labor was too great. This dereliction was duly noticed by the postal authorities, and warnings repeat- edly sent that a new leaf must be turned over in the way of running the office. Fletcher stood this indirect attack for some time, and then gathering up all the way bills that had been accu- mulating for the time he had held the office, sent them to Postmaster General Kendall, with the request that as he had plenty of time he might "make out his bill," and send it to Fletcher, " and he would pay it." The latter was not troubled with any more mail matter.

In 1841, the only thing in the way of improvements was the erection of a two-story frame building on the present site of the Phelps House. This was built by Daniel Banfill, and opened by him as a hotel as soon as it was finished, his family having arrived during the year. The memory of "Old Ban " was long held in grateful remembrance by the hungry multitudes who were wont to crowd the portals of the old hotel. He moved afterward to Potosi, where he build another hotel, that still retains his name, and in which he died some years later. He was a model landlord and a worthy representative of the advancing civilization.

In 1842, James M. Otis, who had arrived in the young town, opened a store in the Morrell building, on the corner of Maple and Monroe streets. During this year genial Harvey Pepper paid the debt of nature, being cut off in his prime. He was, as we have seen, one of the first

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

settlers in Lancaster, and filled a large place in the earlier vistas of the new town. "He was," in the language of the writer already quoted, "a man obliging, talkative and active, but one who took the world easy," and who, in the hurly-burly of his busy life, " hardly knew when' he was called upon to hang a man, whether he was acting in the capacity of Sheriff or landlord, and when he called a witness to come into Court, to the third repetition of the name, would add, "come into your dinner," instead of " come into Court." He will be long remembered by the older settlers for his kindness and unselfish interest in the welfare of guests and neighbors. He left a wife and several children, Mrs. Pepper afterward marrying Mr. L. O. Shrader, and has ever since resided in Lancaster. The hotel was continued for some time under other pro- prietors, but was soon sold to James M. Otis, who converted it into a store.

Upon Mr. Pepper's death, Mr. Scott, who had been keeping the house on the corner of Maple and Monroe streets, took charge of Mr. Pepper's house, and Mr. Benjamin Forbes, who had lately arrived from Cassville, took the house vacated by Mr. Scott.

THE VILLAGE GROWS.

The year 1843 saw numerous changes and improvements. James M. Otis opened an exten- sive stock of merchandise in his new store, the first general and complete stock that had been opened. In these early times the bulk of the goods were brought across the country from Mil- waukee by teams. Heavy goods, such as hardware and the like, was generally purchased in St. Louis, and brought up the river as far as Potosi, from which point it was hauled by teams to Lancaster. Groceries were also sometimes purchased at the same place, but all dry goods and fancy articles came from Milwaukee.

The country, in the meantime, had been settling up round about Lancaster, but owing to the superior attractions offered at Potosi and Platteville, these points for many years had ob- sorbed all the trade; but the entering wedge was drove this year, which soon opened the chan- nel, and this trade began gradually to return to its legitimate center. T. M. Barber, together with James Ward, opened a second store during the year, in the building formerly occupied by Mr. Otis.

Early in the spring the Herald was started in the Boice cabin, and began its task of open- ing the road for advancing civilization.

Quite a wave of excitement was created by the removal of Mr. James Otis from the Post- mastership this year. Otis had proved a most efficient Postmaster, but, unlike those at the present day, when such affairs are managed much better, he was not in accord with the Admin- istration. Notice had been sent by the Territorial Delegate to the citizens to recommend some one for the place, and a petition asking for the re-appointment of Otis was returned; but, in spite of all efforts, Ben Forbes was commissioned and took charge of the office late in the year.

Messrs. J. Allen Barber and Nelson Dewey had opened a law office and commenced a part- nership at this date, which, in after times, became historical.

As an evidence of the rapidity with which news traveled in those days, an early issue of the Herald states that, " Our express papers from New York, Philadelphia and Boston fre- quently reach us in nine days."

The name of L. O. Shrader appears this year appended to legal notices as Clerk of the Court, he having arrived somewhat earlier.

In the "Hurricane " neighborhood, C. M. Hewitt and Darius Banbridge had assumed charge of the health of that section, and hoisted their shingle as dnly qualified physicians. In September of this year, however, Dr. Hewitt removed to Potosi. The Herald also notices this year an excellent crop of wheat raised on the farm of Judge Dunn, at Elk Grove. The variety was "red chaff," and the yield over forty bushels to the acre.

During the year, a tri-weekly stage line was started between Lancaster and Platteville by H. Messmore.

In December, Barber & Ward removed their stock of goods into a new frame building

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

month, Mr. A. Crosby opened a tailor-shop in a building standing a few rods north of the pres- ent Mansion House.

Among other arrivals this year was that of J. T. Mills, the well known Judge, whose fame is as wide-spread as the State. As he himself says, the accommodations were not palatial, his lodgings being in " the south wing of John Fletcher's house, which room was located over a pond of water." This year appears to have been a starting-point for Lancaster in the race for prominence.

The succeeding one of 1844 was marked with but few incidents of note. Dr. M. Wainright came in May and located his office opposite the Lancaster House ; here he also kept a small stock of drugs. Another line of stages, making weekly trips, and plying between Platteville and Cassville, gave Lancaster additional connective facilities, east and west. The card of James M. Goodhue, afterward widely known as editor of the Herald and other papers, appears in the columns of the former paper in May.

The year 1845 shows something of the march of improvement. In August, Barber & Ward moved into their new store, near the corner of Maple and Monroe streets. George H. Cox also erected the building, at present known as the Mansion House, during the season. In November, William Hodge opened a tailor-shop in the rear of Otis' store. Early in the year, Dr. Cowles had located in the new town, having his office at Banfield's Hotel.

FIRST FIRE.

During the month of December, the first fire known to the young town occurred. Just before the holidays, the hotel run by Mr. Ben Forbes, standing on the corner now occupied by Gen. Callis' residence, caught fire and burned to the ground. So swift was its destruction, that many of the boarders were obliged to leap from the second-story windows upon beds previously thrown out upon the ground. The colored woman, who served as cook and general assistant, had been doing " an ironing " during the forepart of the night, and it was supposed that a defect in the flue allowed some sparks to escape in the attic of the building, where were stored a winter's supply of provisions and sundries, lately brought from Galena ; among these supplies were several bundles of brooms, and it is supposed that these furnished the material which started the destructive blaze. Certain it is that the fire caught in the attic, and soon the whole building was in ruins. But very little was saved, aside from clothing. After this fire, Mr. Forbes removed to Iowa, where he had a land claim, and soon after opened another hotel in an adjoining village, in which business he was engaged at the time of his death, that occurred many years later.

The succeeding year, 1846, witnessed a few additions to the population and business houses of Lancaster. John Alcorn came during the summer prepared by his trade, he being a carpen- ter and joiner, to house all other new-comers comfortably, while A. S. Berryhill opened a much- needed institution-a saddler-shop-in the building adjoining the storeroom of Mr. James Otis. Dr. Wood also made his appearance this year, locating on the site where Dr. T. M. Barber's residence now stands. J. M. Ward succeeded Ben C. Forbes as Postmaster. John M. Otis opened a store in November, and the following month John Boright opened a blacksmith and wagon shop; his shop and house were on the lot south of Judge Mills, now owned by Mr. John Wright, and on which his ice-house now stands. The following year, W. W. Kendall and D. T. Parker purchased the stock of merchandise of T. M. Barber, continuing in trade at the same stand. Thomas Scott started a saddler's shop in June, just east of the store of James M. Otis. Drs. Wood and Rickey also formed a partnership which continued until the following year.

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History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 97

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044